STANFORD-SACRAMENTO STATE SERIES HISTORYAll-Time Series: Stanford leads 27-12 (since 1959)2006 Results: Series - Stanford 2-0 (at Stanford, April 18) - Stanford 12-5; (at Sacramento State, May 10) - Stanford 5-4,Current Game Win Streak: Stanford - 3 (March 26, 2005 - May 10, 2006)Current Series Win Streak: NoneCurrent Season Series Win Streak: Stanford - 1 (2006)Other Series Notes: Stanford has won nine of the 12 games played between the clubs since 2000 but the Hornets have had their moments. Sacramento State won back-to-back games against the Cardinal with a 2-1 victory on April 24, 2004, and a 4-3 triumph on March 25, 2005, before the Cardinal responded with its current three-game win streak. The Hornets also had a decisive 12-3 victory over Stanford in a game played at Raley Field on May 2, 2001.

STANFORD RETURNS TO ACTIONtanford will return to action with its two-game home-and-home series versus Sacramento State this Saturday and Sunday after a 12-day break for finals. Stanford had won its first series after the break for six consecutive seasons (2000-05) before dropping two-of-three to Washington State in 2006.

THE NATIONAL POLLSStanford is not ranked in any of the five in-season polls (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA, Rivals.com, Ping Baseball) most recently released on Monday, March 19. Stanford started the season ranked as high as No. 23 by Collegiate Baseball.

BACK ON THE WINNING TRACKStanford's season-long-tying three-game losing skid was snapped with its victory over USC in its most recent game on March 11. The Cardinal had won a season-best eight in a row before a 13-5 non-conference loss at Santa Clara on March 6. The eight-game run was the longest since the 2004 club also won eight straight from March 23 - April 3, 2004. The team had also won nine straight home games before losing the opener of its most recent versus USC at Sunken Diamond on March 9. The nine-game home win streak had been the longest since the 2004 club won 12 straight home contests from April 10 - May 18, 2004. Stanford's 9-0 home start was also its best since the 1993 club began the year 10-0 at Sunken Diamond.

STANFORD AVOIDS HOME SWEEPStanford came up with a victory in the finale of its most recent series versus USC (March 9-11) to avoid being swept in a three-game regular season home series for the first time since the Cardinal dropped three in row to Arizona State at Sunken Diamond from April 11-13, 1997. The stretch has now been extended to 71 consecutive regular season three-game home series. Stanford was in the same situation twice in 2006 but came up with victories over Kansas and Washington State to avoid sweeps.

STREAK SWEEP ALSO ENDS AT TWOStanford had swept each of its last two opponents in three-game series before dropping two-of-three to USC from March 9-11. Stanford had swept Kansas (February 23-25) and California (March 2-4) in its previous two series. The back-to-back home sweeps marked the first time the Cardinal had recorded back-to-back sweeps since Stanford won three in a row from both Fresno State (January 29-30DH) and Kansas (February 12DH-13) in its first two home series of 2005.

STANFORD GETS 2500TH WINStanford became just the fifth team in the history of NCAA Division I Baseball to win 2500 games when the Cardinal reached the milestone with a 9-7 victory over California on March 4. Stanford now has an all-time record of 2501-1558-32 (.615) in 4091 games over 114 seasons including 2007. Fordham, Texas, USC and Michigan are the only teams with more all-time wins than the Cardinal.

WINNERSStanford has posted winning campaigns for 13 straight seasons (1994-2006), as well as 41 of the last 42 years and 58 of the past 60 prior to 2007. Stanford is currently three games over .500 (11-8).

MARK MARQUESS MOVES INTO 11THMark Marquess moved into sole possesion of 11th place past Miami's Ron Fraser on the all-time win list for NCAA Division I coaches with his most recent victory versus USC (March 11). Marquess has an all-time record of 1268-625-5 (.669) over 1898 games that also ranks him sixth among active NCAA Division I coaches and is in his 31st season as Stanford's head coach. Marquess also has impressive postseason (112-52, .683, 24 Appearances), Regional (68-25, .731, 24 Appearances, 14 Titles), Super Regional (10-4, .769, 6 Appearances, 5 Titles), College World Series (34-23, .596, 13 Appearances, 2 Titles) and Pac-10 (501-327, .605, 12 Titles) records.

A QUICK LOOK AT TEAM STATSStanford has struggled in all three team statistical categories as the Cardinal is hitting .283 with a 5.40 ERA on the mound and a .960 fielding percentage with all three numbers are worse than its opponents. However, the team's numbers are getting better with its batting average just one point below its season-high and its fielding percentage as high as its been since the club was at .971 after its first game of the season. Stanford has been able to must two more runs than its opponents (114-112). The key to the team still being able to manage a respectable 11-8 record is nine victories by three or runs or less, including four one-run wins, three two-run victories and a pair of three-run triumphs.

A QUICK LOOK AT INDIVIDUAL STATSJeffrey Inman (2-1, 4.45, 32.1 IP, 29 SO) leads or co-leads the team in victories (co-leader), strikeouts and ERA among those pitchers that have pitched at least one inning per team game played. Jeremy Bleich (1-2, 4.91, 36.2 IP, 20 SO) paces the club in innings pitched and co-leads the squad in starts. Max Fearnow (2-1, 3.97, 2 SV, 11.1 IP, 9 SO) and Austin Yount (2-0, 5.23, 10.1 IP, 4 SO) both join Inman with a pair of victories, while Fearnow also has a pair of saves. Five other pitchers -- Andrew Clauson (1-0, 3.00, 6.0 IP, 5 SO), Tom Stilson (1-1, 4.50, 10.0 IP, 5 SO), Blake Hancock (1-0, 5.06, 5.1 IP, 6 SO) and Nolan Gallagher (1-2, 7.92, 25.0 IP, 19 SO) -- have joined Bleich to each record one of the team's 11 wins. David Stringer (0-0, 2,65, 15.1 IP, 13 SO) has six of the team's eight saves and also leads the club with 13 appearances, while Gallagher's six starts equal Bleich. Offensively, Sean Ratliff is having a big season and leads the Cardinal in several offensive categories, including batting average (.342), runs scored (24), hits (26), and stolen bases (7), while Michael Taylor paces the club in home runs (3), RBI (17), total bases (40) and at bats (77). Other offensive team leaders include Cord Phelps (7 2B, 3 3B, 8 BB), Jeff Whitlow (.529 SLUG%, 1 SAC), Brian Juhl (4 HBP, 2 SF), Adam Sorgi (.429 OB%) and Joey August (1 SAC).

TOUGH STARTSStanford started the season with an 0-3 record to mark the first time since 1989 the Cardinal had lost its first three games of the season. The sweep at Cal State Fullerton was also the first time Stanford had been swept in a three-game season-opening series in the school's recorded history. The team was also 2-5 after seven games before its current season-best three-game win streak. The 2-5 start was Stanford's worst mark after seven contests since a 1974 club actually started 2-8. Stanford also has a 1-6 record in its first seven road games which is the team's worst record after seven road games since at least 1959 when game-by-game records are available.

MICHAEL TAYLOR PRESEASON HONORSMichael Taylor earned 2007 Third Team Preseason All-American honors from Baseball America and is also on the Watch List for the College Baseball Foundation's Brooks Wallace Award Watch List. Taylor has a .286 batting average in the team's first 19 games of 2007, while leading the team in home runs (3), RBI (17), total bases (40) and at bats (77). After a slow start that had Taylor hitting just .216 after the first nine game, he is current on a career-best 10-game hit streak from February 23 - March 11, hitting .350 (14-40) with four doubles, two homers and 11 RBI during the stretch. Taylor has made 135 consecutive starts and started 137 of 138 possible games during his three-year Cardinal career.

SEAN RATLIFF STAYS HOTSean Ratliff is on a current red-hot career-best six-game hit streak from March 3-11, hitting .522 (12-23) with two doubles, two triples, a homer, two RBI and three stolen bases during the run. For the season, Ratliff leads the club in batting average (.342), runs scored (24), hits (26) and stolen bases (7).

BUSY DAVID STRINGER LEADS CLUB IN SAVESDavid Stringer has six saves and a 2.65 ERA overall without a decision while appearing in a team-high 13 of the club's 19 games and pitching 17.0 innings. Stringer recorded five saves in as many games from February 20 - March 3. Stringer earned a spot on the College Baseball Foundation's weekly national honor roll for the week of February 27 when he saved four games during the previous week and then added one more against California (March 2) to run the streak to five before failing in a save attempt versus California on March 3.

WINNING THE CLOSE ONESStanford has a 9-6 record in games decided by three runs or less this season. The Cardinal is 4-2 in five one-run games this season, as well as 3-2 in two-run contests and 2-2 in three-run affairs.

LONG GAMESStanford has clocked in at 3:00 or over in 10 of its first 19 games this season, going 3:41 or more five times.

COMEBACK KIDSStanford has come from behind in eight of its 11 wins this season and has an amazing 6-3 record when its opponent scores first in a game. Stanford's biggest comeback of the year came in its most recent game versus USC (March 11) when the Cardinal was down 8-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning before scoring four times to the game at 8-8 and six more in the eighth in an eventual 14-9 win.

BACK-TO-BACK ERRORLESS GAMESStanford recorded its first errorless game of the season versus USC on March 10 and then came back with another one on March 11 after making at least one error in the first 17 games of the season. The Cardinal had actually made at least one error in 19 straight contests dating back to the final two games of 2006.

SUNDAY SUCCESSStanford is 5-1 on Sundays in 2007, winning each of its last five Sunday games after losing at Cal State Fullerton on its first Sunday of the year.

STEADY STARTERSStanford has a pair of players -- Sean Ratliff (CF) and Michael Taylor (RF) -- that have started all 19 games this season (all in the same position). Taylor has actually started 135 in a row dating back to his 2005 freshman campaign and 137 of 138 possible contests during his three seasons at Stanford.

RECENT CAREER DEBUTSWande Olabisi and Min (Brian) Moon both made their collegiate debuts in Stanford's most recent game against USC on March 11. Olabisi pinch-ran and scored his first collegiate run in the bottom of the eighth, while Moon played third base in the top of the ninth.

SUNKEN DIAMOND - HOME SWEET HOMEStanford's next game versus Sacramento State on March 24 will be the final in a stretch that has the Cardinal playing 11 of 12 games at Sunken Diamond from February 20 - March 24, where the Cardinal is 10-2 this season. Sunken Diamond has served as a host site for 13 NCAA Regionals, as well as NCAA Regionals on five occasions. Stanford has clinched 10 of its 15 trips to the College World Series at Sunken Diamond. Stanford has also made Sunken Diamond a tough place for opponents in recent years, winning at least 17 games at home in each of the last 11 seasons prior to 2007 with an amazing 302-87 (.776) record during the stretch.

2006 STANFORD-SACRAMENTO STATE GAMESApril 18, 2006 - at Stanford 12, Sacramento State 5Stanford (16-15) ended its four-game losing streak with a 12-5 win over Sacramento State as Chris Minaker (3-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI) and Chris Lewis (3-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI) led a Cardinal offense that broke out for 15 hits. Joey August (2-3), John Hester (2-5, 2B, 2 RBI) and Ryan Seawell (2-5) also contributed multiple-hit contests, while Michael Taylor drove in a pair of runs and was hit twice. Stanford starter Matt Leva picked up the victory, allowing just one unearned run on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts in his first outing since March 26.

The contest didn't start well for the Cardinal when Sacramento State scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning to take a brief 1-0 lead. Gary Johnson led off the contest with a single and ended up all the way at third base on the play when the ball rolled by August down the left field line for a two-base error. Leva retired Patrick Cummins on a foul out before Buddy Morales brought in the first run of the game with an RBI groundout.

Stanford scored four runs in the bottom of the first and would never relinquish the lead. Minaker and Lewis both had two-RBI doubles in the frame that began when Seawell and August singled back-to-back to start the rally before scoring on Minaker's double to leftcenter. Lewis' two-out double brought home Taylor and Hester, who were hit by a pitch and reached on a fielders' choice following Minaker's double.

The Cardinal added three more runs in the second to take a 7-1 advantage. Minaker had an RBI single to end a short outing for Hornet starter and losing pitcher Travis Kane (1.1 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 SO) to drive in Seawell, who was hit by a pitch with one out to start the rally and advanced to second on an August single. Hester's two-run double two batters later off reliever Chris Mols (1.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) capped the rally.

Stanford scored two more runs in the bottom of the third to extend its lead to 9-1. Lewis started the rally with a leadoff double, moved to third on a single by Brent Milleville and scored on a sacrifice fly from Cord Phelps. Seawell then singled to move Milleville to third and Taylor was hit with the bases loaded three batters later to force in Milleville.

Neither team scored again until the seventh when Flores doubled, moved to third when pinch-hitter Brian Conradi singled and scored on Montana Dye's sacrifice fly to give the Hornets a run.

Stanford picked up three more runs in its half of the eighth with five consecutive hits. Minaker started the onslaught when he doubled with one out and scored on Taylor's scorching single through the left side of the infield. Hester ended the outing of Levin (0.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER) with a single before Jason Castro and Lewis greeted Cyrus Sarraf (0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB) with back-to-back RBI singles.

Sacramento State loaded the bases with just one out in the top of the ninth before Eric Davis (0.2 IP) ended the game by retiring the final two batters.

David Flores (2-4, 2B) was the only Sacramento State player with more than one hit.

Quote of the Day ... 'Offensive confidence is something we've been lacking a little bit. But, we just have to stick with what we do well, which is to have big guys hit the ball hard and in the air, and little guys hit the ball on the ground and run fast.' - Chris Lewis

May 10, 2006 - Stanford 5, at Sacramento State 4Brian Juhl's first career homer lifted Stanford (24-21) to a 5-4 non-conference victory over Sacramento State (20-29) and its fifth win in the last six games on Wednesday at Hornet Field. Juhl snapped a 4-4 tie when he launched a two-out solo shot over the right field wall in the top of the sixth. He finished the game 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, driving in the first run of his career with a two-out third inning single. David Stringer (3-4) earned the victory with a brilliant relief outing, tossing 5.2 scoreless innings and allowing just two hits with three walks. Austin Yount (1.0 IP, 1 SO) pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth to notch his first collegiate save.

Juhl was the only Stanford player with more than one hit, while Brent Milleville drove in a career-high-tying pair of runs with a key two-out, two-run single in the top of the first inning.

David Flores (3-4, 2B, 2 RBI) had a game-high three hits for Sacramento State, while Buddy Morales (2-2, 2B) added two and Jim Strombach drove in a pair of runs with a first inning triple.

The teams traded three-run rallies in the first inning before pitching took over on both sides.

Sacramento State's first inning rally off Stanford starter Blake Holler (2.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) started when Morales singled through the left side with two outs. Devin Spurling kept the inning alive with a single to right field, before Flores beat out an infield hit to score Morales and Strombach came up with his two-run triple down the right field line.

The clubs also exchanged a single run in the third inning.

Lewis drew a one-out walk from Sacramento State reliever Mel Cuckovich (2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) to get the inning going and Molina followed with a single before Milleville was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Cuckovich got Jason Castro to fly out to short center field for the second out but Juhl came through with a clutch two-out RBI single down the left field line to score Lewis. Sacramento State limited the Cardinal to just one run on the play when Hornet left fielder Ronnie Machado, Jr. cut down Milleville at third base for the final out of the inning before Molina crossed the plate.

Morales started the Hornet third with a leadoff double before an RBI double by Flores two batters later plated Morales and ended Holler's short start. Stringer came on and got the final two outs of the inning without any further damage.

Stringer allowed at least one base runner in each of the five following innings but worked his way out of trouble each time.

The only base runner the Cardinal put on from the fourth through the eighth innings besides Juhl's homer off losing pitcher Travis Kane (3-5) was when Minaker reached on a bad-hop infield single with one out in the seventh.

Stanford had an opportunity to add an insurance run in the top of the ninth but Hornet reliever James Wheeler forced Minaker into an inning ending fly out with runners on second and third.Quote of the Day ... 'It felt really good. I knew I got the ball up, and I was hoping it would get out.' - Brian Juhl

STANFORD HEAD COACH MARK MARQUESSOne of the nation's premier collegiate coaches and the winningest coach in Stanford Baseball history, Mark Marquess is in his 31st season at the helm of the Cardinal and his 39th associated with the program in 2007. Marquess has won more games than any coach in any sport ever at Stanford with the amazing numbers he has posted during his long tenure on The Farm. Marquess has a 1268-625-5 (.669) all-time record in 1898 career games, as well as equally impressive marks in postseason (112-52, .683), NCAA Regional (68-25, .731), NCAA Super Regional (10-4, .714), CWS (34-23, .596) and Pac-10 (501-327, .605) action. He is currently ranked sixth among all active NCAA Division I coaches in victories and 12th on the all-time list among Division I coaches. Marquess became the 23rd coach in the history of NCAA Division I baseball to reach the 1000-win mark with a victory over Florida State on February 9, 2001. Just over two years later, he picked up win No. 1100 versus Nevada on February 17, 2003. He became the 16th NCAA Division I head baseball coach to win 1200 collegiate games just over another two years after that when the Cardinal defeated California at Sunken Diamond on March 5, 2005. He also won his 100th career postseason game in Stanford's NCAA Super Regional clinching victory over Long Beach State (June 7, 2003). The 1969 Stanford graduate has led the Cardinal to two CWS titles and three runner-up showings in five CWS championship appearances, as well as 13 College World Series trips, five NCAA Super Regional titles, 14 NCAA Regional championships and 12 Pac-10 crowns (includes Southern Division and shared titles). Stanford's two CWS championships under Marquess came in back-to-back fashion in 1987 and 1988 as the Cardinal is just one of four teams to have ever won back-to-back Division I College World Series titles. The three runner-up showings have all come this decade with the Cardinal taking second in Omaha in 2000, 2001 and 2003. Maybe even more amazing, all 13 teams that Marquess has taken to the College World Series have won at least one game. Stanford has qualified for the NCAA Championships 24 times in the first 30 seasons under Marquess with a current school record run of 13 straight appearances in postseason play. He has been named NCAA Coach of the Year three times and has received Pac-10 or Pac-10 Southern Division Coach of the Year honors on nine occasions, most recently with his Pac-10 selection in 2003. The Cardinal has also recorded 29 winning seasons in the first 30 campaigns under his leadership. His clubs have finished either first or second in the prestigious Pacific-10 (formerly Pac-10 Southern Division) 22 times in the last 26 seasons including 2006. Stanford has had 134 players drafted by professional baseball in the past 22 campaigns, including 18 in the last 20 years that were drafted either in the first round or as a Compensation A pick. Stanford has had more first round picks (6) since 2000 than any other school in the nation, most recently with the selection of Greg Reynolds as the No. 2 overall pick in 2006. A member of the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Marquess was the head coach of the 1988 United States Olympic baseball team that captured the gold medal. He was also an accomplished football and baseball standout on The Farm, and is a member of the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame. He is one of only 10 people to have ever both played and coached in the College World Series. Marquess was the starting first baseman and a First Team All-American on Stanford's 1967 CWS squad and played four seasons in the minor leagues with the Chicago White Sox organization.

STANFORD COACHING STAFFDean Stotz is in his 31st season with Stanford Baseball and his eighth as the team's associate head coach after he was promoted to the position prior to the 2000 season following 23 years of service as an assistant. Stotz currently coaches third base while also handling various offensive and defensive aspects of the game. Tom Kunis is in his eighth season as Stanford's pitching coach, while Dave Nakama is also in his eighth campaign over two stints as an assistant.